2199 research outputs found
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COVID-19 and emerging viral infections: The case for interferon lambda
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10685/11448-thumbnail.jpgWith the first reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the scientific community working in the field of type III IFNs (IFN-λ) realized that this class of IFNs could play an important role in this and other emerging viral infections. In this Viewpoint, we present our opinion on the benefits and potential limitations of using IFN-λ to prevent, limit, and treat these dangerous viral infections.</p
Special Issue Editorial: Preservice and Inservice Professional Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10693/11453-thumbnail.jpgThe global COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in countless ways. This has included the move to emergency remote learning for PreK-12 and post-secondary education around the world. While school districts and post-secondary education institutions originally anticipated relatively brief closures, the impact of COVID-19 resulted in extensive periods of emergency remote teaching and learning. Many K-12 school districts and institutions of higher education had to teach online for almost all of the spring semester (2020); they have also added contingency plans for future remote instruction in the summer and for the 2020-2021 academic year. As we move beyond the survival phase of remote teaching and learning, it is critical now to transition to a thriving phase of remote teaching, learning, and teacher education.</p
COVID-19 and water access in Sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana’s free water directive may not benefit water insecure households
No full textCOVID-19 has brought global attention to the critical role of water in managing infectious outbreaks. Although Sub-Saharan Africa could become a COVID-19 hotspot, some are optimistic that given the right strategies and interventions the region can contain the pandemic. One such interventions is Ghana\u27s directive to provide free water to domestic users for six months to ensure that water insecure households do not compromise appropriate hygiene and sanitation during COVID-19. We highlight in this commentary how the complex geographies of water provision in the region could undermine the overall benefits of such initiatives, especially to poor and water insecure households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]</p
An Analysis of the Conceptual Structure of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Using Network Analysis and Visual Analytics
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10722/11563-thumbnail.jpgObjective: This study analyzes the conceptual structure of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. We present a thematic mapping of concepts and a narrative exposition of the clusters of themes and relevant terminologies that explains the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has rattled the world in the past five months. We evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and two previous coronavirus outbreaks, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Finally, we point to areas for future epidemiological studies to help in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials and Method: We use network analysis, data mining, and visual analytics to synthesize the keywords, themes, and terminologies in the scientific literature on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, and related concepts and terms. The data used in this study come from 346 scientific publications on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 between 2019 and April 2020, selected through a systematic review process. The selected documents come from the Web of Science.
Results: The study offers the first comprehensive exposition of the conceptual structure and theoretical evaluation of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, and in-depth narrative of themes and clusters of related terminologies through the scholarship of integration. The study points to areas for future clinical trials and epidemiology studies as the effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Conclusion: This paper achieved three outcomes; the conceptual structure of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, a narrative exposition of the cluster of themes and terminologies with analysis of the relationship with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and highlight crucial areas for future studies.</p
Writing Center Review Volume 25 Spring 2020
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/17432/87419-thumbnail.jpgNote- This issue was published in 2022, with a note about the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the original 2020 publication.</p
An Earthworm-Inspired Approach to Underground Sensing
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10081/10198-thumbnail.jpgEarthworms move through soil by a peristaltic wave of muscle contraction through a series of fluid-filled body segments. Sequential contraction and expansion of these segments results in the worm’s locomotion both above ground and within soil. Here, an earthworm-inspired soft robot is prototyped. The prototype consists of three polyethylene segments, which are inflated and deflated in a sequence that mimics the earthworm’s peristalsis. The current prototype is able to move through tubes of varied dimensions, and is an early step toward developing a soft robot that can explore buried environments. This may be especially applicable to archaeology, which often strives to explore such settings with minimal damage to a site. An earthworm-inspired robotic probe could provide information where currently used methods (such as geophysical sensing, excavation, and rigid soil probes) are ineffective.</p
Inhibition of Biofilm Formation by Cranberry Extract
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10091/10205-thumbnail.jpgBacteria attach to surfaces in aqueous environments and form biofilms; mixtures of cells embedded in a matrix of extracellular material. Biofilms are important to ecosystem function but have harmful effects in undesirable settings. One issue is persistence of pathogenic bacteria in biofilms, including Listeria. Listeria can survive in protected, multi-species biofilms and some strains are resistant to stress. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate antimicrobial activity of cranberry extract (CE) against Listeria innocua. To examine survivorship, L. innocua was suspended in serial dilutions of CE neutralized to pH 7.0. Samples were collected and plated on BHI agar. Subsequently, L. innocua was grown on glass beads submerged in BHI broth or 12.5% CE in BHI. L. innocua was inoculated and incubated for 48 hours. Samples were filtered, Live-Dead stained, and enumerated. In suspension, a 4 log reduction in L. innocua was observed after 18 hours in 12.5% and 25% CE. In the biofilm experiment, there was a > 1 log reduction in live and dead cells in biofilms in 12.5% CE. The formation of live microcells in the presence of CE was evidence of a stress response; poorly defined dead cells and debris were apparent with the dead stain. This study demonstrated inhibition of L. innocua by CE in suspension and biofilms. It did not distinguish between physiological stress and other mechanisms of biofilm inhibition. Future studies will examine mechanisms of biofilm inhibition and impact of CE on L. innocua in multispecies biofilms.</p
Built by Nature: Community and Function in Natural and Structurally Analogous Urban Systems
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10092/10207-thumbnail.jpgHuman-managed and occupied ecosystems may mimic naturally occurring habitats, either spontaneously or by design. Understanding how communities of organisms assemble and use these novel spaces provides a key opportunity to understand, and potentially shape, the ecosystem functions and services delivered in human-dominated landscapes. For example, green roofs are a type of living architecture in which plants are intentionally grown on top of a human-built structure. Structurally analogous natural ecosystems are relatively rare, but some thin-soil environments can be found here in the Great Lakes Basin. As the natural habitats provide vital ecosystem functions, green roofs have the potential to provide urban areas with many services. Insects are the ideal focal taxa to examine for this project: in addition to their ubiquity, facilitating large scale data collection, insects play a variety of critical roles in ecosystem function and service, making them ideal sentinel organisms. The project focuses on characterizing insect communities and vegetation in green roof and natural thin soil environments to examine and quantify the services those insects provide (i.e. pollination, pest control, and decomposition). Characterizing the function and worth of insect services in natural and urban ecosystems is critical to supporting conservation decision-making in these human-managed ecosystems.</p
Working Toward Meaningful Change: A Student-Centered Approach Towards Diversity and Inclusivity within the Fashion Curriculum
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10442/10613-thumbnail.jpgFashion often looks towards marginalized communities for inspiration, using exotic historical tropes for financial gain. However, there is a concerted effort within the fashion industry to re-evaluate this position and make positive steps toward equality. black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) voices are being heard, with key industry members taking steps toward a more diverse workforce at executive level to educate and impact fashion content and production processes. So how can the fashion educator take action toward inclusivity and diversity to initiate progressive change?
Student cohorts noted that aspects of existing educational systems render students as other,
and voiceless. This paper takes a position of responding through pedagogic practice in working toward an inclusive curriculum with students operating as active participants. New strategies encouraged students to engage in and challenge curriculum design, resulting in positive outcomes. Student commentary noted insightful and bespoke teaching and learning methods to de-colonize the curriculum, and to specifically respond to concerns on issues of diversity. The actions taken, and qualitative research methods utilized, re-evaluate existing pedagogic and industry practice in response to Student Union requests and sector-wide policy in promoting equality. Academics and students provided meaningful examples to learn from, and greater collective awareness and knowledge is gained. By building capability through intercultural competencies an exciting paradigm shift is taking place.</p
Design Intervention Through Permaculture and Social Change: Case Studies from Selected Indian Farming Sectors
No full texthttps://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10444/10615-thumbnail.jpgMore than 270,000 Indian cotton farmers have committed suicide since 1995, and India’s agricultural sector, which directly or indirectly employs more than 70 million Indians, faces severe crises in terms of air, water, and soil degradation, pervasive chemical-led farming, debts, and lack of a profitable and sustainable livelihood system. In addition, India is losing traditional knowledge of farming and other craftsmanship, which was more nature- and community-friendly. This has led to a loss of community identity, severe malnutrition, and loss of livelihood, leading to displacement of indigenous people. Despite governmental support, the situation has not changed significantly.
In this paper, we analyzed design and social interventions in the Indian farming sector via permaculture, which mimics relationships found in natural ecology. This design approach has a very successful history of solving the food crisis in different ecosystems across the world. Our study looks at Indian designers engaged in farming cotton and food crops in an attempt to contribute to design literature through the application of permaculture.
We measure successes in terms of three ethical parameters: care for the earth, care for the
people, and return of surplus to the ecosystem. Our observational variables are design and social interventions in three Odisha communities, through interviews with designers, experts, and farmers.
We applied conceptual and relational content analysis to understand commonalities among
the selected design processes and social interventions that led to better livelihoods and income for the farmers. The findings may help replicate, modify and build other thriving farming communities in India and other countries, and also invite further research in permaculture design to address social issues and influence design research and education.</p